1. Summary of the Invention
This invention relates to medical retractors and, more particularly, to laparoscopic devices for effecting separation of body parts adjacent to a surgical cavity.
2. Summary of the Background Art
Many common ailments of humans require surgical intervention to effect a cure. Until recently, most surgical procedures required large incisions. Recent application of laparoscopic techniques has permitted surgery to be performed with much smaller incisions. With these techniques, exposure of the operative sight may be limited. As such, devices to separate or retract tissues would facilitate the operative procedure. One example where increased exposure of the operative sight would be of benefit is the repair of an inguinal hernia via a laparoscopic approach.
According to the disclosure of my co-pending patent application, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 07/595,956 filed Oct. 11, 1990, laparoscopic mechanisms are disclosed for the repair of hernias from interior of the abdominal wall. According to the present invention, however, an puncture type incision is made through the abdominal wall including layers of skin, fat and muscle but not through the peritoneum. The peritoneum layer and the layers of the abdominal wall are then separated to form a surgical cavity. Laparoscopic techniques are then employed for the repair of the hernia. In such a procedure, however, retractor devices are helpful to retract, separate, and hold the peritoneum and the other abdominal layers to create and maintain a surgical cavity in which the surgeon may effect the laparoscopic surgical procedures for the repair of the hernia. Such laparoscopic procedures are described in my aforementioned application, the subject matter of which is incorporated herein by reference.
Various techniques and devices are employed commercially or are disclosed in the patent literature for retracting or manipulating various body parts during surgical procedures. Such procedures include devices and techniques for retracting body parts adjacent to a surgical cavity. Note, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,580,568; 4,654,028; 4,692,139 and 4,808,163 which relate to expansion devices for insertion into veins. In addition, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,799,172 and 4,807,626 as well as U.K. Patent Number 1169419 relate to expander devices for urinary systems. In addition, U.S. Pat. Nos. 698,447; 862,712; 1,433,031 and 3,312,222 disclose expander devices for vaginal uses. Lastly, U.S. Pat. No. 3,517,128 relates to a surgical expander and dilator for a relatively large organ such as the stomach, bladder or colon.
As illustrated by the great number of prior patents as well as other commercial devices and techniques, efforts are continuously being made in an attempt to improve devices for manipulating body parts for one purpose or another. Such efforts are being made to render such devices more efficient, reliable, inexpensive and convenient to use. None of these previous efforts, however, provides the benefits attendant with the present invention. Additionally, the prior patented and commercial devices and techniques do not suggest the present inventive combination of method steps and component elements arranged and configured as disclosed and claimed herein.
The present invention achieves its intended purposes, objects and advantages through a new, useful and unobvious combination of method steps and component elements, with the use of a minimum number of functioning parts, at a reasonable cost to manufacture, and by employing only readily available materials.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved laparoscopic surgical retractor for separating body parts during a surgical procedure to thereby create or maintain a surgical cavity. The retractor comprises an interior rod having a distal end and a proximal end and an exterior tube positioned to receive the central rod, the exterior tube having a distal end and a proximal end. A plurality of straps having their distal ends coupled to the distal end of the interior rod and have their proximal ends coupled to the distal end of the exterior tube. The straps are flexible whereby movement of the distal end of the interior rod proximally toward the distal end of the exterior tube will cause the straps to assume a generally spherical configuration, the total diameter of the retracted non-expanded device being less than 1.5 centimeters. Coupling means secure the interior rod and exterior tube against relative axial movement with respect to each other so that a surgeon may move the expanded retractor to enlarge a surgical cavity in which it is located.
It is a further object of the present invention to employ surgical retractors to create or maintain surgical cavities during laparoscopic procedures.
It is a further object of the invention to effect separation of body parts at a surgical cavity by laparoscopic retractors.
The foregoing has outlined some of the more pertinent objects of the invention. These objects should be construed to be merely illustrative of some of the more prominent features and applications of the intended invention. Many other beneficial results can be obtained by applying the disclosed invention in a different manner or modifying the invention within the scope of the disclosure. Accordingly, other objects and a fuller understanding of the invention may be had by referring to the summary of the invention and the detailed description of the preferred embodiment in addition to the scope of the invention defined by the claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.